School children learn crucial skills

Posted: 15/06/2012 12:01:19

More than 1600 of the county’s year six pupils are preparing to converge on Hereford Racecourse this month to learn some crucial skills to help them keep healthy and safe as they make the transition into secondary education.

As children prepare to embark on their secondary education, the Crucial Crew event prepares them for some of the issues they may face over the next few years as they grow from being children to young people.

In its sixteenth year, the event provides primary school children with a jam packed programme of workshops, games and interactive lessons based around health, wellbeing and safety. This year’s event is organised by NHS Herefordshire in partnership with the Police, the Red Cross, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, school nurses, Herefordshire Housing and Herefordshire Council.

The event aims to equip children with skills to keep safe and use the change4life top tips that will keep them fit and healthy throughout their lives. A series of workshops are organised each day covering themes around alcohol and drug awareness, road safety, personal safety, valuing difference and diversity and danger in the home.

Leah Wilson, health improvement practitioner, said: “All the sessions are totally interactive. The children are encouraged to get involved, and they usually do so with great enthusiasm.

“The workshops provide a fun way of helping year six children understand how to maintain a healthy and secure future for themselves and to pass on these important messages to their family and friends so that they too will be more fit and healthy.

“Some of the exciting features we have in store this year include an Olympic theme and change4life tips for healthy snacks, meals and being active. The Fire and Rescue Service is setting up a smoke tent which always provides a great deal of interest.

“To keep them active over lunch, Halo Leisure is running dance mat sessions and the council’s environmental health team are carrying out hand washing advice involving a clever technique which shows up the dirt on your hands.”

Running from Monday 18th to Friday 29th June, workshops take place from 9.30am-2.30pm every day. Over 70 schools are likely to attend and it is anticipated that somewhere in the region of 1600 pupils will be visiting over the eight days.